October 27, 2009

Ok so maybe you're not the lederhosen type. Who can really blame ya? But now that we've all recovered from the Liquid Oktoberfest hangover...I'm wondering how I can help you take your next step (plunge) into Liquid and closer to Christ!

For some of you that may mean signing up for a Team or a Group. One of my favorite moments from this past Sunday was when a long time "spectator" (someone who came to church every Sunday and just watched) decided to switch to an engaged "participator" (not only did he get his worship on...but he also rolled up his sleeves and got his hands dirty with the Roadies!)

Or maybe, like so many of us, your next real move is to totally trust God with that all-important, all-sensitive, all-too-awkward-thing...[take a deep breath]...finances. In other words, maybe it's just time to take God at His Word and test Him by presenting Him the whole tithe... [we still cool? i can say that, right?] ; P

Seriously though folks, one of the things I kept thinking to myself all throughout Oktoberfest was: "Wow! God, You've got some crazy things in store for every single person here and beyond...and I can't believe I get to be a part of that ~ thank You! So please just help me to do whatever I can to make sure others don't miss out on what You're doing!"

So how about it folks? What's your next step? How do you fit into the picture? And how can I help YOU...with or without my lederhosen! ; )

October 19, 2009

Ok so by now everyone gets Liquid is hosting our first ever Oktoberfest down at the Hyatt in New Brunswick this Friday (10/23). But maybe you're wondering: Why on earth would I spend a Friday night to schlep all the way down to da Brunz for All Liquid. No Beer...? Great question.

Here are the "Top" 5 Reasons:

#5 - It's one of the right answers to WWJD

#4 - Come hear where Liquid has been & where Liquid is headed for 2010

#3 - Free food & fun

#2 - See what happens when Eminem meets Executive Pastor, Dave Brooks

#1 - Say hello and take a picture with the World's Tallest...Bavaraian/leprechaun/gnome/thing...(aka Pastor Mike Leahy)

October 13, 2009

Contradictions...they're all over the place, aren't they? Yes, even in the Bible! [Am I allowed to say that? I mean I guess I could try and spin the verbiage and call them "paradoxes" or better yet "theological hapax legomenon" but we'd all just see right through that junk, wouldn't we?]

So let's try something new. Let's try actually embracing some contradictions. Because after all, contradictions aren't always bad. Contradictions don't always lead to fallacy. Pascal said it well, "Contradiction is not a sign of falsity, nor the lack of contradiction a sign of truth."

And here are some contradictions I've been thinking of lately: God uses the foolish to shame the wise. He uses the weak to shame the strong. More specifically:

1Cor. 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 1Cor. 1:20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

And with that in mind, the past several weeks throughout the Rock God series (read: sermonic "foolishness" ; ) people have actually been accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for the first time! [Read that last sentence again.] Seriously...how crazy is that? People coming to Christ after a message laced with Bon Jovi, U2, and Nickelback?!? How is that even possible?

...I may not be Scotch-Korean but I'm definitely starting to like these contradictions! ; )

October 06, 2009

context:two of my girls just sitting, watching, waiting for cupcakes to bake...

conviction: dang! how come when i wait...i don't look nearly as content?

Are you waiting for something? Do things/people just seem to be taking too long for you? Does God seem to needlessly delay?

Waiting definitely has to be one of the hardest disciplines any of us need to exercise. Who in their right mind wants to wait for anything? Right NOW is better than later, right? Yet time and time again, I keep getting reminded of these two things:

#1) God is rarely EARLY...but He's always ON TIME

#2) God's DELAYS don't necessarily mean his DENIALS

Don't wanna sound all preachy here...but sometimes it's during that very delay or "baking time" when God is workin His magic...actually preparing something even better than what we're willing to settle for at the given moment.

So dear God, please help me to remember that you're still in control of things...even when I think you're running late and have probably forgotten all about me amidst your busy schedule. Help me to trust in your character and your ways...to have a "child-like faith"...to just trust you...even the way my two little munchkins trusted their mommy here and waited for the baking time to have its course...not settling for the batter but waiting for something much better! Amen.

September 29, 2009

...those were literally the first questions I was asked by someone who accepted Jesus into her life for the first time last week after one of the services.

Now stop for a second and ask yourself: How would you have answered her? (Not exactly the easiest question to answer, right?)

But in all honesty, it wasn't too bad because as I was talking with her in that crowded foyer after the service, I realized that the answer was right there buzzing all around us...you learn how to do the whole "Jesus-thing" by doing it with others who are also committed to following Jesus! That's how God has rigged it!

And so what a great reminder it was to me, especially on the first week of our new semester of Life Group Kick-Offs... that that's what our Life Groups are all about ~ a group of people getting together once a week, trying to figure out how to do this whole life thing together, Jesus style! ; )

So make sure you don't miss out and CLICK HERE TO JOIN A GROUP if you haven't already! (Meanwhile check out some groups from the past few months!)

September 16, 2009

...Last time I saw that video was my first month of Jr. High when mom took away my mongoose (bmx) for the rest of fall cuz me and two other kids lit a cherry bomb in our teacher's mailbox (a thousand apologies, again, to Ms. Greene!)

September 11, 2009

September 08, 2009

Now here's one story that didn't make the news but helps put everything in perspective from this past weekend!

Long story short...towards the very end of our Rock and Run for Africa festivities...Jenna (who attends our 5pm service) came up to me and introduced me to her recently adopted nephew, David (both pictured below). You see, this handsome little guy is actually from a village in Ethiopia where one of the clean water wells that Liquid Church dug last year exists!

Did you get that?

In a very real way, David is here today because of something many of YOU did last year... Rare are the times when we actually get to see the results of our efforts in a tangible way...so when I got to see and hug and chase this kid around a little bit on Sunday (I was still sore from the race ; )...it put everything into perspective.

He is why we do what we do. He is why so many of you voluntarily gave up a gorgeous Sunday to serve others! He is why so many of you invited friends and family to sponsor you for a 5K. And he is why we ran!

August 14, 2009

I get all giddy when it comes to this kinda stuff... You see, Erica and I've been hunting for a bedroom set for our 3 munchkins since the beginning of summer...waiting for sales, debating on whether or not to tap into our EF, even entertaining the thought of inflatable mattresses for the rest of their young lives, etc.

Now before you start judging us...do you have any idea how much a 5 piece bedroom set (2 twin beds, a dresser, a mirror, and a nightstand) goes for these days? ; P

Hint: At a certain discount mod Scandinavian store it was over $500...at another discount place that rhymes with Rob's we were looking at over $800...and those were the 2 cheapest joints! (Most other places took us well beyond the land of $1000.)

So imagine our surprise when we found the perfect 5-piece bedroom set for 150 bucks!

Still too much? Wow! You FPU folks are tough! Ok, how about getting all of that for a TOTAL of $100?!? =D

Check this out:

Pretty sweet, hugh? =D By just sticking to some of the lessons from FPU ("Buyer Beware," walk-away-power, "That's Not Good Enough," etc.) and a little help from craigslist, we stumbled upon a set just like the one above (with 2 twins instead of 1 king) where the person sold it to us for $100! And yes, similar sets are selling for $2000+...there's even a set (just 2 twins) listed on ebay right now.

FPU Friday Five Point: Even when it comes to purchasing a 5 Piece Bedroom set..."Live like no one else...so that later on [and maybe even NOW] you can live like no one else!"

July 27, 2009

Normally when you think of someone on the Roadies, you probably picture some big burly dude who muscles his way through the set up and take down of heavy equipment and staging materials. And more often than not, that's definitely the case! But like a lotta things here at Liquid...you don't always get what you expect (and that can be a very good thing! ; ) Micki, thanks so much for reminding all of us that a big ol' heart for Jesus and His peeps is all it takes to pitch in and find a place to serve! =D